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cathygeha · 1 year

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REVIEW

Duke in a Box: Twelve Steamy Historical Holiday Novellas

By Collected Authors

Four of the authors that provided stories for this collection are favorites of mine and their novellas were all that I expect from their writing. The remaining eight stories are going to be read and hopefully savored between now and Christmas as a special Christmas gift to myself. Stories read so far are:

YULE BE MY DUKE by Darcy Burke:

Enemies Cecilia and John are thrust together by their parents to make a match…a match neither of them wants. These two young people didn’t hit it off well when they met but when they finally spent time together…things began to change for the better.

HER DUKE WITH BENEFITS by Jess Michaels:

This story was heartwarming and fun to read. I loved Alice and Leo together and how the close proximity, honest communication, and mature look at what they wanted for themselves, and their future was so splendidly shared in this novella.

AUDACIOUS by Minerva Spencer:

How fun to see how favorite characters from a previous book are doing and have this love story be that of their only daughter who falls in love and is strong enough to overcome all to end up with the man she truly loves. Thoroughly enjoyed Antonia and Lucas’s story!

UNDRESSING THE DUKE by Erica Ridley:

How difficult it must have been to know your duty and not want to fulfill it. This novella dealt with the class disparity between the two in love, expectations of society and family, and the taboo of loving someone it was actually illegal to be with. Donovan and Geoffrey had a slow burn over twenty years but have a feeling it was worth it in the end for both of them.

Did I enjoy the stories I read? Yes

Am I looking forward to reading the rest of the novellas in the collection? Definitely

Thank you to Darcy Burke for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

Twelve novellas from your favorite historical romance authors featuring never-before-published steamy holiday stories. Don’t miss this limited time collection—on sale only from November 1-December 31, 2022. The Duke Who Came to Christmas Dinner by Amy Rose Bennett When a bah-humbug duke is invited to Christmas dinner by his widowed neighbor, the sweet-as-a-sugarplum daughter of his former estate steward, his initial reaction is to say no...until he recalls their long-ago first kiss beneath the mistletoe... Mrs. Peabody and the Unexpected Duke by Grace Callaway When former lovers Hawker and Mrs. Peabody are paired on a spy mission over the holidays, they uncover the deepest secret of all: the truth of their own hearts. Yule Be My Duke by Darcy Burke When enemies John and Cecilia are trapped alone in a cottage during a snowstorm, they know marriage will be imminent, but can they become lovers by morning? The Frosty Duke by Lila DiPasqua When a socially awkward mathematician spinster seeks to enlist the aid of a handsome, skillful rake—things may not go to plan. Desert Island Duke by Kate Bateman When Caro Montgomery is shipwrecked with her brother’s infuriatingly attractive best friend, Max Cavendish, their survival depends on working together. But will their island prove to be a tropical paradise. . . or pure hell? Her Duke at Midnight by Christy Carlyle When a young widow and an infamous duke meet at a country house party during the holiday season, the attraction that sparks between them takes them both by surprise. Her Duke With Benefits by Jess Michaels After confusion and a storm trap old friends Leo and Alice together for the holidays, long hidden desires and feelings come to the surface. But if the duke offers his heart before their time together is over, will she take that gift? The Duke Deal by Valerie Bowman When a young duchess asks her estranged husband to pretend they're happy during a Christmastide house party to fulfill her grandfather's dying wish of seeing the entire family together at the holidays, the duke agrees...with one condition: he wants an heir. Audacious by Minerva Spencer Antonia Redvers has been completely and madly in love with the infamous privateer Captain Lucas "O Duque" Cruz, her father's best friend, since she was a girl. This Christmas, Toni is done waiting—she's finally going to get her duke... My Duchess, My Wife by Sasha Cottman With a castle full of relatives at Christmas, a Scottish duke comes up with more than one naughty way to distract his wife. Undressing the Duke by Erica Ridley When the Duke of Southbury informs his charming French valet of his impending dismissal, Vachon has only a fortnight to convince the duke to change his mind… and take a chance on love! Right Place, Wrong Duke by Elisa Braden Widow Lucie Carmichael is not about to let the Duke of Dingwall evict her family from their ancestral home, even if that means engaging in a little abduction.

#Darcy Burke #Erica Ridley #Jess Michaels #Minerva Spencer #Elisa Braden #Sasha Cottman #Valerie Bowman #christy carlyle #Kate Bateman #Lila diPasqua #Grace Callaway #Historical Romance #Holiday Romance Anthology #Steamy Historical Holiday Novellas #Regency Romance

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elisaphoenix13 · 3 years

Text

Consequences Of Pitching Practice

"Bah!"

"That's all well and good but you still haven't given me the screwdriver."

"Nnmmmnnn." Lucy answers while slobbering all over said screwdriver.

Tony huffs fondly. "Don't let your mom see that. I don't need another lecture about how unsanitary that is." He takes the screwdriver and chuckles when the baby glares at him. "It's also unsafe. I kind of like you."

Lucy babbles at him angrily as Tony wipes the screwdriver free of drool and he offers her one of her actual toys. It's not that he didn't offer her her own toys in the first place, it's just that Lucy had an uncanny ability to get her hands on whatever she wanted. Even when she was confined to a highchair or something. It wasn't anything magical, Tony and Stephen made sure of that, Lucy was just a typical, curious baby.

Tony had a feeling he may have been the same way as a baby.

"If you keep back talking me like that, you won't have lab time with me anymore." Tony says as he tightens a screw.

"Mmmfffbbb!" Lucy retorts and the engineer looks over at her to find that she had somehow gotten her hands on a different screwdriver. Which she was currently drooling on the rubber end of.

"Maybe I should take that as a clue that it's lunchtime for you." Tony says. "How about a bottle?"

Some happy beeps and whirs grab Tony's attention and he looks over at the kitchenette to find DUM-E excitedly starting a bottle. The first ingredient? Grease of some sort. Tony wasn't even sure when the robot grabbed that.

"No, no, no. Lulu can't have grease. You finish that for yourself!" Tony reprimands as he walks over to make a proper bottle. He partially ignores the sad noises DUM-E makes and takes the bottle over to Lucy. "Here you go dolcezza. How about something sanitary to put in your mouth?"

Lucy eyes the bottle her father holds out for her and Tony's eyes widen when she actually throws her screwdriver across the room and takes the bottle. He looks over to where the tool had landed when he hears a crash and finds a separate project emitting sparks from where it had been hit. Six months old and she had quite the arm.

"Maybe we should make a baseball team." Tony says calmly. "You can be our pitcher. Diana was kind of like that too but Cassie corrupted her."

For once, Tony doesn't get an answer from Lucy, but she was too busy with her lunch. Something he should probably be thinking about at the very least.

"Think your mom would make me a sandwich if I asked him nicely?"

A pointed look from the infant makes him chuckle.

"Probably not, huh? Not when I'm down here with you and tinkering for f--"

A low hum distracts Tony and he swivels around when it gets louder by the second. The machine Lucy had damaged with the screwdriver was spitting sparks like an angry cat, and it was glowing brighter and brighter. Tony barely had the mind to turn back and grab and cover Lucy just before the thing exploded. The force of the explosion sent them to the ground, but Tony made sure to keep Lucy secure in his arms. When he recovers and sits up, he winces as his ears ring and the first thing he hears is Lucy crying. Her poor ears were probably ringing too and he knew that Stephen was going to have a fit when the sorcerer undoubtedly came to investigate. Both Friday and Victor tended to snitch on him, especially when one of the kids was in the lab with him.

"I'm sorry dolcezza." Tony says to Lucy in an attempt to soothe her. "Daddy should have checked to make sure you didn't do so much damage."

He carefully gets back to his feet as a window opens to ventilate the smoke, and checks Lucy over to make sure she's unharmed, glad to see she wasn't and was already calming down. Her cries had already turned into whimpers and she had grabbed one of his fingers to stick into her mouth to help soothe her further. Tony coughs and waves away the smoke in the air, noting that DUM-E was actually in the process of putting out a small fire by the machine. It wasn't the only thing Tony noticed either. There were two extra bodies standing by the burning remains of his project, and when the smoke finally cleared away, Tony froze.

The two people that were also waving away the smoke and coughing were his parents.

Howard and Maria were standing ten feet away from him and all Tony could do was stand and stare.

That project was in no way a time travel machine, but clearly that's what had happened. His parents were somehow pulled from the past with a half finished machine that Lucy broke with a screwdriver, and Tony was floored. The last time he saw his mother was the night she died, and his father during the time heist.

"Tony!" The engineer blinks and looks over at the door with wide eyes as Stephen rushes in and over to him. "Friday told me there was an explosion. Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. We both are. Lulu was just a little spooked…"

"Tony?"

Howard's voice draws the attention of both men and Stephen's eyebrows fly up toward his hairline.

"What exactly were you working on?" Stephen asks Tony.

"Not a time machine."

=======

"She's so darling." Maria says as she takes Lucy from Tony. "What's her name?"

"Lucy." Tony mumbles and watches the interaction with fascination.

Once they had gotten over the initial shock, Tony managed to explain what happened before promising to find a way to send his parents back to where they belonged. For now though, they were stuck in the present time and Tony was already preparing for anything. Maria wasn't the problem...it was Howard. Tony had no idea how things would go when it came to his father.

"Who is her mother?" Howard asks.

There it is. That didn't take long, Tony thinks to himself. He then points to Stephen.

"Him. Meet my husband, Doctor Stephen Strange." Tony says.

"Did you adopt?" Maria asks.

"Yes...but not Lucy. Stephen is literally her mother. The girls were made with magic." Tony explains, and Maria brightens when he mentions the girls.

"There are more?" Maria asks while Howard simultaneously says, "Really, Anthony? Magic?"

Stephen was the one to answer Howard before Tony could open his mouth again. The doctor didn't even have to say anything. He simply displayed his magical abilities and Howard actually closed his mouth.

"How many children do you have?" Maria asks again.

Tony looks at her and genuinely smiles. "Seven."

"And a half." Stephen adds and Tony chuckles.

"That's a long story." Tony explains to his parents.

"Where are the others?" Howard asks.

"Somewhere." Tony says flippantly.

"Peter is out patrolling, Harley and Thomas are running an errand for me, Diana is downstairs with Cassie, and William is napping with Valerie." Stephen tells them. "Tea?"

"Yes, please." Maria says and Stephen walks into the kitchen.

Tony could only watch his mother play with Lucy. Even Howard seemed content to spend time with his granddaughter, so Tony joined Stephen in the kitchen and finally took a shuddering breath. Stephen looks over at him with concern and Tony waves him away.

"I'm alright."

"Wondering if it's all a dream?" Stephen asks.

"Maybe? It was nerve wracking just seeing my father during the time heist and now he's actually here. Sort of." Tony tries to explain.

"You have a chance to tell him what you want to." Stephen says. "And...I understand how you're feeling."

He reaches over and carefully grabs Tony's right arm, and looks at the scars traveling from the top of his hand and up his arm. They disappear briefly under his sleeve, but then reappear at the collar of his shirt and finally stop just below the right side of his jaw. Tony supposed Stephen had a point. Stephen probably felt that having Tony back was just a dream for a while. But Tony was here to stay.

Howard and Maria had to go back.

"You've made it very clear that I'm only allowed to die of old age or caffeine overdose." Tony chuckles and Stephen looks at him flatly.

"Preferably the former."

"That's the plan. Where's Athena?" Tony asks as Stephen gently drops his arm and turns back to the tea.

"Upstairs with William and Valerie. Tibbs is sleeping in his cat tower."

"The chaos will start up any second now regardless." Tony huffs and Stephen picks up the tea he finishes and takes it back into the living room.

Tony follows him, finding Lucy surprisingly with his father, and giving Maria a chance to drink the tea Stephen offers her. The chaos truly did erupt after that as he expected. Maria was only halfway through her tea when the kids that were out and about came home, Cassie and Diana came upstairs, and William and Valerie shuffled out of the little girl's room. Harley and Peter had expressions on their faces that made Tony think that they knew who exactly their visitors were, but they didn't say anything.

"Here's the rest of the brood." Tony announces. "Brood and a half." He says motioning to Cassie.

"I'm sure it's always exciting here." Maria says with a smile.

Stephen snorts. "If it's not the kids, it's our friends. Sometimes it's both."

"But it's our life. I don't think any of us would trade it for anything." Tony says.

Not even for one more day with his parents like he might have wished for once upon a time. He got his wish anyway, just not the way he thought he would. Because Lucy liked to throw things.

Tony told himself that he wanted to say things to his dad if he ever got the chance to, but just like the time heist, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't want to see his parents off with another bad memory, and he didn't want to do that to any of his kids. They deserved a good memory with their grandparents...and Howard was being pretty decent so far. He could be civil too.

=====

To Tony and Stephen's surprise, Howard and Maria enjoyed spending every moment with the kids. Stephen at first kept an eye on them to make sure they didn't force any of their beliefs on them (or try to parent them in their own way), but he was able to relax after a little while. The older couple were content to spend time with the kids as grandparents usually did. Watching movies, playing games, cooking, and sharing each kid's hobbies.

Tony unfortunately couldn't spend much time with his parents because he had to fix the project Lucy had thrown the screwdriver at. He had to find a way to return his parents to their own time since he knew they didn't belong here. No matter how much he might have wanted them to stay and see how his life turned out.

Maybe they would go back to his seventeen-year-old self and tell him everything would work out okay. Even back then, Tony probably wouldn't listen to them, so he could see their attempt to reassure him being ignored.

It only took Tony a couple of days to fix the machine so that he could send his parents home. He let them, Stephen, and the kids know...and spent the rest of the night and up until the next afternoon with his parents. When it came time to take them back downstairs, they all went to say their final goodbyes.

"Do they have to go?" Diana pouts and Maria smiles as she pats her head.

"I know dear. It's unfair, but I'm glad we got to see you and your brothers and sisters." She says softly. "You be good for your mom and dad."

"I will."

Maria and Howard were quick to accept Stephen's role as the kids' mother once they explained how it started. How it started as a bit of a joke but overtime became serious...and then true when Diana was born. Of course they weren't used to it since their time was almost forty years prior, but even they knew anything could happen that far in the future. That things and people were becoming more open-minded.

"Thanks for teaching us some more of your recipes." Harley says, making Maria smile.

"Of course. I'm glad to see you enjoy cooking."

He shrugs. "Sometimes."

"Make sure you surpass your father." Howard says and Peter grins.

"We will."

After the kids finish saying their goodbyes -- and of course Lucy throws her teething ring at them -- Howard pulls Tony aside. Stephen watches with a raised eyebrow, but Tony subtly waves away his concern and the sorcerer turns his attention back to Maria and the kids.

"I'm glad to see you've done well for yourself." Howard says.

"For the company?" Tony asks.

His father sighs. "No. I'm glad to see that you have a family. A good one. Your children are all amazing and I'm not even talking about their potential." Tony looks at him in surprise but doesn't interrupt as Howard continues. "Your spouse...I don't know how things are in this time...but he's good for you. I…" he sighs. "I'm not good at this…"

"It's okay. I think I know what you're trying to say." Tony reassures. "I love him. I love my kids...and I would do anything to keep them safe. I have and I always will."

"I'm proud of you." Howard says softly. "I know our relationship wasn't the greatest, but I wanted to make sure you knew that. I doubt you need to know that or if you care--"

"Thank you." Tony says. "It means a lot."

"I'm glad we got to see you happy."

Tony felt just a tiny bit lighter after that when they rejoined the others. He hugged both of his parents goodbye, watched as his kids and Stephen did the same, and then booted up the machine that would send his parents back. Tony made sure Lucy didn't have anything that she could throw and make a mess of the machine again, and then finally hit the button. He looked at his parents as the machine hummed loudly, and returned the smile they gave him before they disappeared from sight and the machine powered down.

Stephen walks over to Tony as the kids head back upstairs, and wraps his arms around his neck. "Any regrets?"

"No."

Not at all.

#supremefamily #stephen strange #ironstrange #tony stark #mama bear au

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labnegativeone · 4 years

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brain drain what's up with your fingers they look inconvenient

(Ah, these needles? No need to worry about their convenience. They’re retractable weapons. I only leave them out by default in order to help sell the look. Don’t they just scream...’genius with a killer sense of style?’ And a killer sense of combat, no less.)

(Of course, *Valentine* would also insist that I’m just making things harder on myself. Bah. What does she know about not inconveniencing yourself? The woman carries around a filled body bag as a weapon. Glass houses, Valerie.)

#Skullgirls #Skullgirls Brain Drain #Askblog #Anonymous

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tasksweekly · 4 years

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[TASK 193: SIERRA LEONE]

There’s a masterlist below compiled of over 280+ Sierra Leonean faceclaims categorised by gender with their occupation and ethnicity denoted if there was a reliable source. If you want an extra challenge use random.org to pick a random number! Of course everything listed below are just suggestions and you can pick whichever faceclaim or whichever project you desire.

Any questions can be sent here and all tutorials have been linked below the cut for ease of access! REMEMBER to tag your resources with #TASKSWEEKLY and we will reblog them onto the main! This task can be tagged with whatever you want but if you want us to see it please be sure that our tag is the first five tags, @ mention us or send us a messaging linking us to your post!

THE TASK - scroll down for FC’s!

STEP 1: Decide on a FC you wish to create resources for! You can always do more than one but who are you starting with? There are links to masterlists you can use in order to find them and if you want help, just send us a message and we can pick one for you at random!

STEP 2: Pick what you want to create! You can obviously do more than one thing, but what do you want to start off with? Screencaps, RP icons, GIF packs, masterlists, PNG’s, fancasts, alternative FC’s - LITERALLY anything you desire!

STEP 3: Look back on tasks that we have created previously for tutorials on the thing you are creating unless you have whatever it is you are doing mastered - then of course feel free to just get on and do it. :)

STEP 4: Upload and tag with #TASKSWEEKLY! If you didn’t use your own screencaps/images make sure to credit where you got them from as we will not reblog packs which do not credit caps or original gifs from the original maker.

THINGS YOU CAN MAKE FOR THIS TASK - examples are linked!

Stumped for ideas? Maybe make a masterlist or graphic of your favourite faceclaims. A masterlist of names. Plot ideas or screencaps from a music video preformed by an artist. Masterlist of quotes and lyrics that can be used for starters, thread titles or tags. Guides on culture and customs.

Screencaps

RP icons [of all sizes]

Gif Pack [maybe gif icons if you wish]

PNG packs

Manips

Dash Icons

Character Aesthetics

PSD’s

XCF’s

Graphic Templates - can be chara header, promo, border or background PSD’s!

FC Masterlists - underused, with resources, without resources!

FC Help - could be related, family templates, alternatives.

Written Guides.

and whatever else you can think of / make!

MASTERLIST!

Anna Maria Horsford (1948) Afro-Antiguan [including Limba Sierra Leonean] / Afro-Dominican - actress.

Ellen Thomas (1956) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Regina Taylor (1960) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean, Kru Liberian] - actress and playwright.

Judith Jacob (1961) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Neneh Cherry / Neneh Karlsson (1964) Sierra Leonean / Swedish - singer-songwriter.

Titiyo / Titiyo Yambalu Felicia Jah (1967) Sierra Leonean / Swedish - singer-songwriter.

Rakie Ayola (1968) Sierra Leonean / Nigerian - actress.

Kéllé Bryan (1975) Sierra Leonean - actress and singer.

India Arie (1975) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean, Kru Liberian, Fula Bissau-Guinean] - singer-songwriter.

Ava Vidal (1976) Sierra Leonean / Afro-Dominiquais, Afro-Barbadian - actress and comedian.

Sarah Culberson (1976) Mende Sierra Leonean - actress, dancer, public speaker, writer, and philanthropist.

Isata Mahoi (1979) Sierra Leonean - actress and radio host.

Mamadee / Mamadie Wappler (1979) Sierra Leonean / German - singer-songwriter.

Khady Black / Khadyjah Fofanah (1980) Mandinka Sierra Leonean - musician.

Nzinga Blake (1981) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Cleo / Cleo Higgins / Cleopatra Higgins (1982) Sierra Leonean - actress, singer-songwriter, and dancer.

Di'Ja / Hadiza Blell (1982) Krio Sierra Leonean / Hausa Nigerian - singer-songwriter.

Tiana Benjamin (1984) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Michelle Ackerley (1984) Sierra Leonean - tv presenter.

Tyrilla Gouldson (1984) Sierra Leonean - Miss Sierra Leone 2008.

Sylvia Barrie (1986) Sierra Leonean - model and tv personality.

Mariama / Mariama Jalloh (1986) Sierra Leonean / German - singer-songwriter.

Kadija Diamond Jalloh (1986) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Amina Kamara (1987) Sierra Leonean - model and Miss West Africa 2008.

Fatmata Turay (1987) Sierra Leonean - model and Miss Sierra Leone 2007.

Shireen Benjamin (1988) Sierra Leonean - model and Miss West Africa 2009.

Kiza Deen (1988) Sierra Leonean - actress and singer.

Stephanie Levi-John (1988) Sierra Leonean / Afro-Jamaican - actress.

Larissa Wilson (1989) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Hawa Kamara (1990) Sierra Leonean - Miss Universe Sierra Leone 2016.

Elizabeth Lejonhjärta (1990) Sierra Leonean, Gambian, Senegalese / Sami, Tornedalian, Swedish - model, social media personality, blogger, and writer.

Victoria Lejonhjärta (1990) Sierra Leonean, Gambian, Senegalese / Sami, Tornedalian, Swedish - model, social media personality, blogger, and writer.

Jasmine Tookes (1991) African-American [including Sierra Leonean, Nigerian], Barbadian, Brazilian, Irish, English - model.

Dominique Jackson (1991) Sierra Leonean - actress and singer.

MYRA / Regina Tucker (1994) Sierra Leonean - rapper-songwriter.

KABBA / A*M*E / Aminata Kabba (1994) Sierra Leonean - singer-songwriter.

Minish / Minish Swaray (1995) Sierra Leonean - singer-songwriter and footballer.

Salem Koussa / Lemy (1995) Sierra Leonean / Lebanese, Italian - instagrammer.

Mabel / Mabel McVey (1996) Sierra Leonean, Swedish / Scottish, English - singer-songwriter.

Marie Esther Bangura (1997) Sierra Leonean - model and Miss Universe Sierra Leone 2018.

LifeWithJerry (1998) Sierra Leonean - youtuber.

Estella Daniels (?) Sierra Leonean - actress and dancer.

Kira Madallo Sesay (?) Sierra Leonean / Russian - actress, producer, and writer.

Sarah Niles (?) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Wendy Bangura (?) Sierra Leonean / Indian, Lebanese - actress and producer.

Alberta / Alberta Sheriff (?) Sierra Leonean - singer.

DJ Omu (?) Sierra Leonean - DJ.

Kiva Hewett (?) African-American [including Limba Sierra Leonean, Bissau-Guinean] / Unspecified White - singer-songwriter, actress, and producer.

Yalissa Kargbo (?) Sierra Leonean - model and former pageant queen.

Marita Massaquoi (?) Sierra Leonean - actress.

Antonia Sevalie (?) Sierra Leonean - model (instagram: salonebeauty_).

Marjo Bona (?) Sierra Leonean - dancer and choreographer.

Heyden Adama (?) Sierra Leonean - musician and actress.

Eva Khyne-Sam (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Valerie Bah (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Clara Sesay (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Rebecca Arthur (?) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Star Zee / Linda Samai (?) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Naomi Kay (?) Sierra Leonean - model, actress, and Miss Rainbow SL.

Fareda Johnson (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Masakatstyle (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Isat (?) Sierra Leonean - singer (instagram: officialisat).

Abena (?) Sierra Leonean - singer (instagram: abenastar_).

Mselliss (?) Sierra Leonean - instagrammer.

Zainab .O. Sheriff (?) Sierra Leonean - instagrammer.

Zenobia (?) Sierra Leonean - model (instagram: zenobia16).

Rosaline Thembizwa Kanneh (?) Sierra Leonean, South African - model.

Rae Rogers (?) Sierra Leonean - instagrammer (only_one_rach).

Rubie Timbo (?) Sierra Leonean, Fula, Temne - model.

Foxy (?) Sierra Leonean, Ghanian - model (instagram: abi_adjuah_).

Enid Jones-Boston (?) Sierra Leonean - Miss World Sierra Leone 2019.

F - Athletes:

Julia Armstrong (1959) Sierra Leonean - runner.

Emiliya Turey (1984) Sierra Leonean / Russian - handballer.

Eunice Barber (1974) Krio Sierra Leonean - heptathlete and long jumper.

Ola Sesay (1979) Sierra Leonean - long jumper.

Ebony Hoffman (1982) African-American [including Sierra Leonean] - basketball player.

Katerina Keyru (1988) Sierra Leonean / Russian - basketball player.

Jeneba Tarmoh (1989) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Hafsatu Kamara (1991) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Isatu Fofanah (1993) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Marissa Kurtimah (1994) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Michaela DePrince (1995) Sierra Leonean - dancer.

Maggie Barrie (1996) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Napheesa Collier (1996) African-American [including Sierra Leonean] - basketball player.

Bunturabie Jalloh (1998) Sierra Leonean - swimmer.

Louis Gossett, Jr. (1936) African-American [including Sierra Leonean, Liberian] - actor.

Charles Burnett (1944) African-American [including Sierra Leonean] - actor, director, producer, writer, cinematographer, and editor.

Franklyn Ajaye (1949) Sierra Leonean / African-American - actor and comedian.

Tom Joyner (1949) African-American [including Balanta Sierra Leonean] - actor and radio host.

Joe Madison (1949) 7/8 African-American [including Sierra Leonean, Mozambican], 1/8 Unspecified White - actor and radio host.

Steve Ferrone (1950) Sierra Leonean - drummer.

Paul Barber (1951) Sierra Leonean / English - actor.

Howard Hewett (1955) African-American [including Limba Sierra Leonean, Bissau-Guinean] - singer-songwriter.

Isaiah Washington (1963) African-American [including Sierra Leonean] - actor.

Michael K. Williams (1966) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean] / Afro-Bahamian - actor.

Bai Kamara (1966) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Steady Bongo / lansana Sheriff (1966) Mende Sierra Leonean / Mandingo Sierra Leonean - musician and record producer.

Idris Elba (1972) Sierra Leonean / Ghanaian - actor, rapper, singer, DJ, producer, and writer.

Freddy Will / Wilfred Kanu Jr. (1977) Sierra Leonean - rapper, blogger, and author.

Emmerson Bockarie (1977) Mende Sierra Leonean - singer.

Daddy Saj / Joseph Gerald Adolphus Cole (1978) Krio Sierra Leonean - rapper.

John Legend (1978) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean, Fula Bissau-Guinean], Scottish, Cornish, Welsh, English - actor, singer-songwriter, keyboardist, director, and producer.

Harvey / MC Harvey / Michael Harvey Jr (1979) Sierra Leonean - actor, rapper, tv personality, and former footballer.

Cy Fergusson (1979) Sierra Leonean - actor.

Patrice / Patrice Bart-Williams (1979) Krio Sierra Leonean / German - singer-songwriter, producer, and filmmaker.

N'fa / N'fa Jones / N'fa Forster-Jones (1979) Sierra Leonean / Unspecified White - rapper.

Warren Stacey / Warren Jituboh (1979) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Rickie Haywood-Williams (1980) Sierra Leonean - DJ and tv presenter.

Blood Orange / Lightspeed Champion / Dev Hynes / Devonté Hynes (1985) Sierra Leonean / Afro-Guyanese - singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, cellist, director, and producer.

Adetokumboh M'Cormack (1982) Krio Sierra Leonean - actor.

Daniel Anthony (1987) Sierra Leonean - actor.

Sampha / Sampha Lahai Sisay (1988) Sierra Leonean - singer-songwriter, keyboardist, percussionist, and producer.

MB Salone / Mohamed Bailor Barrie (1990) Sierra Leonean - musician.

Kainawa / Matthew Ganda (1990) Sierra Leonean - singer and producer.

Naji Basma (1992) Sierra Leonean / Lebanese - actor and dancer.

Maxsta / Ian Koromah (1995) Sierra Leonean - rapper.

Cali Cal / Kalvin Kosha / Calvin Fitzgerald (1995) Sierra Leonean - actor and singer-songwriter.

Musa Goba (1996) Sierra Leonean - actor.

Josephus Conteh (1997) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Weah Bangura (1998) Sierra Leonean - model.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason (1999) Sierra Leonean / English - cellist.

Cornelius Macarthy (?) Krio Sierra Leonean - actor and singer.

Sahr Ngaujah (?) Sierra Leonean - actor and director.

Jonima Diaby (?) Sierra Leonean / Guinean - actor.

Desmond Finney (?) Sierra Leonean - actor.

Patrick Amara (?) Sierra Leonean - model and actor (instagram: patrickthemodel).

Memsor Kamarake (?) Sierra Leonean - tv personality and celebrity stylist.

Warren Nettleford (?) Sierra Leonean - tv presenter.

Tejay Bah (?) Sierra Leonean / Americo-Liberian - actor, producer, and writer.

DJ Chef / Chefal (?) Sierra Leonean - DJ.

Foday Sillah (?) Sierra Leonean - model and actor (instagam: kingfo101).

DJ WilSAF / Wilmot Selwyn Faulkner (?) Sierra Leonean - DJ and radio personality.

Anis Halloway (?) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Jimmy B / Jimmy Bangura (?) Sierra Leonean - musician, filmmaker, producer, and entertainer.

T.J. Cole (?) Sierra Leonean / Nigerian - actor, producer, director, and screenwriter,

K-Man / Mohamed Saccoh (?) Mandingo Sierra Leonean - rapper.

Daniel Lawrence Sesay (?) Sierra Leonean - model.

Ray Mondo (?) Sierra Leonean - drummer.

Kevin Bob (?) Sierra Leonean - actor, producer, and screenwriter.

Drizilik / Benjamin Menelik Gorge (?) Sierra Leonean - singer.

Kevin Ademu-John (?) Sierra Leonean - model and athlete (instagram: kevinbeseolu).

Delpaneaux Wills (?) Sierra Leonean, Cuban, Unspecified - actor, writer, and model.

M - Athletes:

Billy Boston (1934) Sierra Leonean - rugby player.

John Conteh (1951) Sierra Leonean - boxer.

Danny Wilson (1955) Sierra Leonean / Welsh - rugby player.

Columba Blango (1956) Sierra Leonean - decathlete.

Chris Kamara (1957) Sierra Leonean / English - footballer.

Abdul Mansaray (1961) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Leroy Rosenior (1964) Krio Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Victor Cole (1968) Sierra Leonean / Russian - baseball player.

Mohamed Kanu (1968) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Bah (1969) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

John Keister (1970) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Abdul Thompson Conteh (1970) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Musa Kallon (1970) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ryan Giggs (1973) Sierra Leonean, English / Welsh - footballer.

Leonard Bundu (1974) Sierra Leonean - boxer.

Chris Bart-Williams (1974) Krio Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Denni Conteh (1975) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Clarence Seedorf (1976) Afro-Surinamese [including Sierra Leonean, Maasai Kenyan, Nigerian] - footballer.

Ansu Sesay (1976) Sierra Leonean - basketball player.

Kewullay Conteh (1977) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Faisal Antar (1978) Sierra Leonean / Lebanese - footballer.

Etan Thomas (1978) Afro-Grenadian [including Sierra Leonean] - basketball player.

Bobby Newcombe (1979) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

Mohamed Kallon (1979) Mende Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mustapha Sama (1979) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Roda Antar (1980) Sierra Leonean / Lebanese - footballer.

Alpha Bangura (1980) Sierra Leonean - basketball player.

Lamin Deen (1981) Sierra Leonean - bobsledder.

Kabba Samura (1981) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Madieu Williams (1981) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

Gibril Wilson (1981) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

Albert Cole (1981) Krio Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Paul Kpaka (1981) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Manny Williams (1981) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Steve Kabba / Sorfitu Kabba (1981) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Kargbo (1982) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Carlton Cole (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohammad Rashid (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Gibril Sankoh (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Aluspah Brewah (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Tyrone Mears (1983) Sierra Leonean, Jamaican / English - footballer.

Malvin Kamara (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Sillah (1983) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Chauncey Davis (1983) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean, Temne Sierra Leonean] - American football player.

Justin Mensah-Coker (1983) Sierra Leonean - rugby player.

Kei Kamara (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Liam Rosenior (1984) Sierra Leonean / Unspecified White - footballer.

Nigel Reo-Coker (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Brima Koroma (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ahmed Deen (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Sesay (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Victor Keyru (1984) Sierra Leonean / Russian - basketball player.

Albert Jarrett (1984) Krio Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Sallieu Bundu (1984) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ismail Sillakh (1985) Sierra Leonean / Ukrainian - footballer.

B. J. Tucker (1985) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

Alfi Conteh-Lacalle (1985) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Curtis Davies (1985) Sierra Leonean / Irish, English - footballer.

Ibrahima Camara (1985) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Brima Pepito (1985) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Patrick Bantamoi (1986) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Samuel Barlay (1986) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Shaka Bangura (1986) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Kabia (1986) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Sheriff Suma (1986) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Michael Lahoud (1986) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Hassan Mila Sesay (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Umaru Bangura (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Alimamy Jalloh (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Solomon Bockarie (1987) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Unisa Bangura (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mustapha Dumbuya (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Kamara (1987) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Al Bangura (1988) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Kabia (1988) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Alfred Sankoh (1988) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Christian Caulker (1988) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

John Kamara (1988) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Bangura (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Abdul Rahman Kamara (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mustapha Bangura (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Koroma (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Sanu (1989) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

David Simbo (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Alusine Kamara (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Teteh Bangura (1989) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ola Kamara (1989) Sierra Leonean / Norwegian - footballer.

Moses Barnett (1990) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Israel Sesay (1990) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Rodney Strasser (1990) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

George Wyndham (1990) Sierra Leonean - paralympic table tennis player.

Bill Hamid / Bilal Hamid (1990) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Solomon Morris (1990) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Will Claye (1991) Sierra Leonean - long jumper and triple jumper.

Sulaiman Sesay-Fullah (1991) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Steven Caulker (1991) Sierra Leonean / Scottish - footballer.

Abdul Sesay (1991) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Lamin Suma (1991) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Charles Mammie (1992) Sierra Leonean - basketball player.

Abdulai Bell-Baggie (1992) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Victor Oladipo (1992) Sierra Leonean / Yoruba Nigerian - basketball player.

Abu-Bakarr Kargbo (1992) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Khalifa Jabbie (1993) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Charles Banya (1993) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Alhassan Kamara (1993) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Aziz Deen-Conteh (1993) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Thomas Koroma (1993) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Antonio Rüdiger (1993) Sierra Leonean / German - footballer.

Nathaniel Chalobah (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Alie Sesay (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Julius Davies (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Elliot Kebbie (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Josh Siafa (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Amara Darboh (1994) Sierra Leonean - American football player.

Alhaji Kamara (1994) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Fankaty Dabo (1995) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Sahr Senesie (1995) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Glen Kamara (1995) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Sullay Kaikai (1995) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Buya Turay (1995) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Amadou Bakayoko (1996) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

George Davies (1996) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Conteh (1996) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Nate Tongovula (1996) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Kwame Quee (1996) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Osman Kakay (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mustapha Bundu (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Augustine Williams (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Victor Mansaray (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Suleiman Samura (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Jonathan Morsay (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ismail Kamara (1997) Sierra Leonean - sprinter.

Alusine Fofanah (1997) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Sheka Fofanah (1998) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Frances Tiafoe (1998) Sierra Leonean - tennis player.

Josh Koroma (1998) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Trevoh Chalobah (1999) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Idris Kanu (1999) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Augustus Kargbo (1999) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Ibrahim Kargbo Jr. (2000) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Mohamed Daramy (2002) Sierra Leonean - footballer.

Problematic:

Whoopi Goldberg (1955) African-American [including Mende Sierra Leonean, Balanta Bissau-Guinean, Kru Liberian] - actress, comedian, tv personality, and author. - Supports Roman Polanski, supports Bill Cosby, and slut-shamed Bella Thorne after her nude photos were leaked.

Chadwick Boseman (1977) African-American [including Limba Sierra Leonean, Krio Sierra Leonean, Yoruba Nigerian] - actor and producer. - Misogynoir and rape apologist.

Michael Ricketts (1978) Sierra Leonean - footballer. - Domestic abuse.

#sierra leonean fc #black fc #poc fc #fc list #rph #task: 193 #task: sierra leone

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dannyphandump · 5 years

Text

Dancing Around the Truth pt. 2

(Part 1 | Part 2 | to be continued) (Read on AO3 | FFN)

Summary: The last thing Valerie wanted was to get caught up in Paulina’s plot to ask Phantom to the winter formal. Unfortunately Paulina’s made sure she doesn’t have a choice. Meanwhile, Danny just wants to finish his Algebra quiz. For @phantombreadproject for the Christmas Truce 2018.

Valerie hovered over Amity Park, her board catching beams of moonlight that filtered through the December clouds. The winter formal was next weekend; that didn’t give her much time. That was assuming Paulina would even give her until then, which wasn’t likely considering how the witch had seemed bent on tracking her down today. Her phone had been blown up with texts asking - demanding, really - that Valerie bring her along on her next Phantom hunt. Well, she’d just pretend her phone died. As much as she disliked the other girl, she wasn’t about to drag Paulina into the line of fire. Hunting Phantom was dangerous enough on her own.

If she was honest, she didn’t even know if she could capture Phantom. For all her efforts, she’d only done it once, and then… the whole Danielle fiasco happened.

She winced just thinking about it, even though it had been almost two months ago. Her actions had almost killed a human - a half-human, technically, but that was human enough for her. Between that and what she’d learned about Vlad… for all that she’d discovered, she’d been left with more questions than ever.

And there was only one person - or ghost - who could give her the answers.

“I know you’re out there, Phantom,” she whispered, as if the ghost would hear her. She was a floating target, up here in the open. If he was down there, he’d be able to see her, but there was no guarantee he’d pick a fight. Other ghosts were always his first targets, but she didn’t have time to wait for an attack to draw him out.

As it turned out, she didn’t have to. Green flashes of light illuminated the warehouse by the river.

That box ghost again. She rolled her eyes. No matter how badly she or Phantom kicked his butt, he always showed up again. Twice in one day was unusual, though; he must really be in the mood for some pain.

Valerie angled her board into a steep dive, relishing the feeling of the wind through her fingers. The helmet protected her face, but the rest of the suit was so breathable she could hardly tell she was wearing it. Somehow it still protected her from the early winter chill.

In seconds she was hovering over the corrugated steel roof of the warehouse, which vibrated in time with the flashes of light inside.

“C’mon, Boxy, we already did this today! Wasn’t making me fail that Algebra quiz enough fun for you?”

“Bah! The Box Ghost does not care for your puny human quizzes! It’s time to face your neatly-packaged doom!”

The voices faded under the sounds of crates crashing against the walls. Valerie knew she should head in to take out both the ghosts, but she couldn’t deny she was curious. Algebra? Quizzes? What were they talking about? There weren’t schools in the ghost zone, were there? No, that ghost had said - human quizzes. That made even less sense.

There was so much about Phantom - and about other ghosts - that she didn’t know. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to listen in on the two ghosts for a bit, rather than barging in with guns blazing. It certainly would have helped her avoid trouble with Danielle.

“How did you get out of the thermos so fast, anyway?”

“The Box Ghost controls all packaging materials! I cannot be contained in your cylindrical box of doom!”

“Ugh, so now he thinks the thermos is a box? That explains a lot…”

“Hey! I can hear you!”

“Yeah? Well, hear this!”

More blasts. Nothing like how they’d been speaking before. Maybe that idea was worthless after all; it wasn’t like Phantom would just spill his secrets in the middle of a fight.

She heard the familiar woooooosh of a ghost being sucked into a Fenton Thermos, and then an echoing sigh.

“Guess that takes care of that… for now.” Another sigh. “Better take him home before he manages to break out again. That would ruin my night for sure…”

Valerie cursed. He was about to leave, and there was nowhere to hide on the roof. Guess she’d have to switch back to plan A after all. She summoned a blaster from the top of her hand - only to jump at the sound of a very loud and obnoxious ringtone. Instinctively she looked towards her pocket even though it wasn’t her phone’s usual quiet trill.

“Hey, I’m on my way - yeah, I know, I know - I meant to be there, but the Box Ghost… yeah, that’s what I said… No, don’t worry, I just finished up. See ya in a few. … Love you too.”

Valerie was so busy processing the words - love you too? - that Phantom’s actual appearance nearly gave her a heart attack. The ghost looked just as startled when he phased through the roof and found her staring at him.

“Crap,” he said, green eyes wide as he solidified into physical form. “Crap crap crap… uhhh, you wouldn’t be willing to reschedule this fight for tomorrow, would you?”

She was about to snap something witty back, followed with a shot from her gauntlet - but then she saw what he held in his hand. A cell phone. Of course, she’d heard the ringtone, heard him talking to someone, but - she recognized that phone. It would be impossible not to, with its clunky brick shape and the Fentonworks logo emblazoned across the back. As far as she knew, only one boy had a phone that tacky. One boy who’d had a quiz today… and had reported being absent for the ghost attack… and now that she looked for it, had an eerily similar face to the ghost hovering before her.

No, that’s crazy… he couldn’t be… She was paranoid. It was a hazard of the profession, but being more paranoid around Paulina might have saved her a lot of trouble earlier. She wasn’t about to ignore a theory like this, as crazy as it might sound.

Her voice came out in barely a whisper.

“Danny?”

He winced. She knew that wince - it was the same one she’d tried to hide from Paulina earlier today.

“I can explain!” He said quickly, holding up his hands nonthreateningly while still clutching the phone. “I just had to borrow his phone - I’ll give it right back, I promise.”

At eleven p.m.? From the son of known ghost hunters? Not likely. Not combined with everything else he’d said, and everything she’d recently learned about half-ghosts.

She should be shocked. She was shocked, she just… it made too much sense, now that she thought about it. His frequent absences and “bathroom breaks,” the tired rings under his eyes… the fear that he’d had at seeing her today. She had to hide another wince of her own, but she kept her voice hard. Just in case she happened to be wrong.

“If you’ve kept this a secret so long, I’d think you could come up with a better excuse than that.”

He flinched again - he really was a horrible liar. But she supposed no one else knew enough to ask the right questions.

“It’s not an excuse,” he said with a stubborn frown. “Danny just… helps me out sometimes. He’s a pretty cool dude, for coming from a family of ghost hunters.”

She crossed her arms, effectively hiding the ectogun on her gauntlet, but still keeping it ready to use. Just because she wanted answers didn’t mean she could let her guard down.

“That one was a little better. If that’s the truth, though, you wouldn’t mind taking me to see Danny, would you?” She called his bluff. His eyes darted back and forth.

“I…” He looked ready to bolt for a moment, and she wondered if she’d have to use her blaster after all. But then he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and sighed. “I can’t.”

“You can’t,” she deadpanned. “Of course you can’t, because everything you just said was complete bullcrap.”

His aura flickered fitfully, casting strange patterns across the metal roof. He bit his lip as he reigned it back in, but Valerie knew she’d caught him.

“What do you want me to say?” He asked, testing the waters. He didn’t know how much she’d guessed. And as confident as she felt, that was all she had: guesses. Could she really believe that Danny Fenton had been moonlighting as a superhero for two years?

“How about the truth?” She said, though she didn’t expect a straight answer out of him. Still, the fact that he wasn’t running or fighting was a good sign. Then again, why wasn’t he? He had every right to... if she was right, then she’d…

It suddenly hit her. The things she’d done to him. The things she’d planned to do to him. Strapped to a wall in the storage shed she’d rented, begging her to let Danielle go, that she was half human, while all this time he was - he was -

“...Red?” He asked softly, stepping closer. “You don’t look so good.”

She wanted to dissolve her helmet and wipe her eyes, but instead blinked the salty water away. Getting caught crying in front of Phantom or Danny was out of the question.

“Just tell me.”

He looked away, grip still tight on Danny’s - his? - phone. His knuckles had to be bone-white beneath his gloves.

“Or don’t.” She sighed. She’d just have to come out and say it herself.

“You’re half-ghost.”

His eyes immediately snapped back to hers, glowing bright green. She took a step back. Phantom was dangerous, she couldn’t forget that, even if he really was Danny, she couldn’t just ignore - but the fire faded as suddenly as it had appeared. He didn’t seem to notice what he’d done.

“...Should’ve known you’d figure it out. You’re too smart for your own good… Valerie.” He smirked, that face that was so Phantom it was hard to picture on Danny. As much as she liked Danny, he couldn’t project that kind of smug confidence… except, apparently, he could.

“You handed me pretty much everything I needed to know.” She shrugged, hiding her conflicted emotions. Whatever front he was putting up, this was Danny. The spray of freckles across his nose glowed green in the moonlight; she’d never been close enough to Phantom to notice them before. She’d always thought they were so cute on Danny...

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Phantom could’ve been anyone else, but he just had to be… had to be… him.

Phantom had been Danny the whole time. All this time she’d been trying to… trying to destroy him. How could he even look at her after that?

“It was a risk I had to take. I couldn’t let you hurt Danielle. But I didn’t think…” He sighed, shaking his head. “I thought I’d have a few more months, at least. To figure out how to tell you myself.”

She blinked. “Wait - you were going to tell me? Even though I-”

“What, tried to kill me?” He shrugged. “Pretty used to it, honestly. If you ever got really close, I would’ve told you.”

If she ever got close? She’d had him chained to a wall, and all he’d done was try to protect Danielle! Unless he’d been closer to death than that before - well, he was dead - half dead? - but -

“Why wait that long?” She demanded. “I could’ve jumped you, you might not have had a chance to talk.”

“Hey, I never claimed to be the smartest ghost kid.” He smiled sheepishly. “But, uh - so you don’t want to kill me now?”

“What - no!” She dissolved her ectogun back into metallic particles, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I didn’t hurt Danielle; I would never hurt you! ...Well, not now, anyway.”

He frowned at her wince. “Really, it’s okay. I hurt you too, Val.”

“Yeah. You did,” she mumbled, torn between forgiving him and finally laying into him for the trouble he’d caused her in the past two years. But he’d have just as much he could blame her for, and… if he really was Danny, she didn’t want to hurt him any more than she already had.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. She met his green eyes, looking for traces of Danny in them.

“Me too.” She rubbed her hand and looked away. The weak apology wasn’t enough to ease her guilt, but what could she say? Words couldn’t make up for trying to shoot someone on a near-daily basis.

“So… friends?” He asked, holding out a hand.

“Just like that?” She asked skeptically. She’d held a grudge for two years now, and he was willing to just - forgive her? He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sorry. I guess it’s dumb to think… nevermind.”

She was about to rephrase her words, but then his phone rang again. He answered quickly, cutting off the annoying EDM tone.

“Sorry, I know I said I was coming - I am coming - yeah, something else came up…” A long pause, where she heard a girl’s voice speaking quickly. “Thanks, Jazz. I promise, I’m coming now. Love you.”

A few seconds later he hung up. If Valerie hadn’t been convinced Phantom was Danny before, she definitely was now. The realization kept coming in waves, pulling the floor from her feet each time.

“I thought your sister was away at college?” She asked, focusing on the small detail to keep herself grounded.

“She finished finals already. Her semester starts earlier and gets out earlier than ours.” He slid the phone into a pocket in his suit’s belt. “I told her I’d watch a stupid Hallmark movie with her tonight. I didn’t expect… well, this.”

“Sorry. I can’t say I was expecting this either.” She rubbed her arm. “Well. Guess you’d better get going.”

“Yeah. Valerie - I really am sorry,” he repeated. Unable to meet his eyes, she settled for gazing at the small snowflakes beginning to fall in the distance.

“It’s fine, ghost boy,” she tried to say lightly, but mostly it came out tired. It wasn’t fine, not yet. There was a lot to unpack here. “We’ll figure this out.”

He wilted at that reply, his aura dimming, but then nodded. “We will. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

With that, he took to the sky, his legs smearing out into a ghostly tail. He was still a ghost… and still Danny. The Danny she’d almost-dated, and then fought, and… and that Paulina wanted to go out with!

Valerie cursed, smacking the front of her helmet. She’d completely forgotten about their deal in the aftermath of learning Danny’s secret.

But on the plus side, her job might have just gotten a lot easier.

XXX

“So did Mr. Falluca let you make up the quiz?”

“Yeah, for once. The storage closet’s close enough that - oh hey Valerie.” Danny wore the same almost-frightened smile that he’d worn yesterday. Her heart twinged. Did he still worry she might hurt him?

She reluctantly supposed that her searching stare might have something to do with it. She flashed a smile - one that she hoped looked less nervous than his - and hovered over the chair next to Sam, since Danny and Tucker were on the same side of the lunch table today. The other girl glared daggers through her. If she knew about Danny’s secret, which seemed more likely than not, then she had every right to.

“We need to - can we talk?” She asked rather than demanding the way she was used to. Old habits died hard.

Danny shared a luck with Sam and Tucker. Tucker raised an eyebrow; Sam just rolled her eyes. Maybe it was a good thing she’d broken up with Danny before they’d ever really dated. Those three stuck together like glue; there was no room for her between them.

“Sure,” Danny finally replied, standing up and closing the cap on his thermos of soup - one that looked suspiciously like a Fenton Thermos. That had to get confusing. Knowing the Fentons, though, there probably wasn’t a regular-looking thermos in their house.

In silence they headed out to the courtyard. A few other students had braved the fresh snow to eat outside, but a space under the tree was clear of prying eyes and ears. If anything, it felt too quiet. She was painfully aware of the snow crunching under her boots with every step.

She leaned against the tree and looked up at Danny, but didn’t speak. Their conversation last night felt a lifetime away. Talking with Phantom about this was one thing, but it was still difficult to see the two of them as the same person.

“So… what’s this about?” Danny finally asked. Why was this so difficult? She’d been so willing to accuse Phantom of being Danny, but now, in broad daylight, it sounded so ridiculous, like she’d dreamed the whole thing up.

“We didn’t get the chance to talk much last night,” she said lamely. They’d talked plenty, just not… not the right words. Everything had come out wrong. He shouldn’t feel like he had to make anything up to her, not when she’d been the one hunting him.

“What are you talking about?” He asked, blinking innocently. Warning bells went off in her mind. Had - had Phantom played her? She hadn’t actually seen him change, what if he really had stolen Danny’s phone-?

“Kidding, kidding!” He held up his hands, apparently noticing the murderous look in her eyes. She smacked his arm.

“You’re walking on thin ice, Fenton,” she growled. He grinned sheepishly.

“Jeez, I was just trying to lighten things up. You looked so serious.”

“Well excuse me for acting serious when I find out my friend is-” she lowered her rapidly rising voice, “a freaking ghost.”

The grin didn’t leave his face. “So, we are friends?”

She wiped a hand down her face. This wasn’t going how she’d imagined at all. Maybe that was for the best, though. Her imagination involved a lot of groveling apologies on both sides. If Danny was willing to make light of everything they’d been through… well, maybe that would be easier on both of them.

“Depends. Do I have to join the Phantom Phan Club first?” She smirked. He gaped in horror.

“Oh heck no. Do you have any idea how weird those guys are? I lost a bet once, Sam and Tuck made me go. Worst day of my life.” He gagged.

“What, you don’t like everyone practically worshipping you?” She asked. Funny, she remembered his desperate bids for popularity their freshman year. Why had he never used the fact he was Phantom?

Same reason I don’t want anyone to know my secret, I guess. The consequences might be even worse for him than being grounded, though; he could end up some kind of lab rat if anyone knew. The GIW would probably kill to get their hands on a half-ghost.

“Uh, no,” he deadpanned. “Most of them hate me as Danny. What they say about Phantom is weird, and - well, gross, frankly.” He stuck out his tongue, and she fought not to laugh.

“Don’t worry, I won’t ask.” She figured it had to be better than what they said about the Red Huntress, though. She was practically a villain to all the self-proclaimed “Phans.” Though knowing the truth now, it was hard not to feel like she deserved it.

“That’s not what I wanted to talk about, though,” she said, shaking off her guilt. “Or actually, maybe it is. Paulina’s in the Phan Club, isn’t she?”

Danny’s brows drew together. “She’s not just in it, she’s their ringleader. Why?”

Valerie rubbed her arm. This was going to be the hard part. Better just rip it off like a bandaid.

“Well, she… kind of… figured out my secret yesterday.”

Danny’s eyes widened. For a moment she swore they even flickered green.

“She what?”

“You heard me. And it gets better.”

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. “Please tell me this doesn’t involve me. Please.”

She couldn’t help an amused snort from escaping her nose.

“She wants me to set her up on a date with you. Phantom you.”

If Danny had been drinking anything, he would have spat it out. “Please, please tell me that this is some sick practical joke for ruining your life.”

“You didn’t ruin my life.” She might have thought that once, but she was comfortable being the Red Huntress now; she could hardly imagine anything different. “And you said it yourself, I’m too serious.”

“Ugh, you’re right. You wouldn’t be able to come up with a joke that awful.”

“I’m a little lost though,” she admitted. “Most guys in this school would die to go on a date with Paulina - no pun intended.”

“Heh, that one wasn’t half bad.” He chuckled. “But yeah, no. I was in that boat freshman year, and I let it sail far, far away. Grew up. Moved on.” His hand mimed a boat sailing away, then sinking with a hiss of air. She chuckled.

“Sore subject, huh?” She wondered if he’d moved on so well from their own almost-relationship. Considering he was talking to her like they were old friends, it couldn’t have been this bad.

“I dated her while she was possessed by a ghost. I didn’t know at the time, but once I did and got the ghost out of her, she had no memory of the whole thing. Blew me off in front of the whole school - literally ghosted me.” He chuckled at his own joke, but it rang hollow. “It doesn’t get a lot sorer than that.”

Her brow furrowed apologetically. “Makes sense.”

“You’re gonna have to tell her no, Val. Maybe it’s stupid, but I won’t go on another date with her. Besides, Phantom can’t be seen dating anyone. The ghosts would go after her, and I don’t want to be responsible for that.”

“Fair enough, but… she threatened to tell my secret if you don’t at least let her ask you out herself.” She drew her sweater closer against the cold. She shouldn’t have dragged Danny into this - she wouldn’t have, if she’d known his secret in the first place. But it was too late for that now.

“Oh.” He bit his lip. “That’s… significantly not good.”

“You’re telling me.” He’d never even asked her not to spill his secret; he seemed to trust her completely, in spite of everything. Of course, he knew her secret too - and had even revealed it once, to her dad of all people. That had taken months to clean up, and months longer to convince him that her new suit belonged to someone other than herself. But that reveal had been to keep her from fighting Pariah Dark - which Danny had gone and done himself, when it could’ve killed him.

Either he’s the bravest person I know, or he’s got a second death wish. She almost laughed to relieve her tension, and at the ridiculousness of it all. He’d fought the King of Ghosts, and now they were worried about a girl like Paulina.

“So… you got any better plans?” She finally asked, and he tapped his chin.

“Hmm… you think she’d believe Phantom already has a girlfriend?”

“With your lying skills?” She raised an eyebrow. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah, you’d think after two years of keeping a secret identity I’d be a little better at it.” He sighed. “You think I’ve just gotta turn her down flat, then?”

She nodded. “I know girls like Paulina. You try to let them down slow, and they’ll think you’re leaving an opening.”

“Great,” he muttered, and his breath fogged in the cold air. He gasped as if that weren’t the most normal thing to happen in December. “Gotta go. Uh - maybe you should too. Don’t know who it’ll be this time.”

“Wait, you mean-?” She started, but then she heard the screams. Ghost attack. Somehow, he’d sensed it before it had happened.

“I’ll explain later. Just have Paulina meet me at your secret place tonight - I’ll text you when I’m free.” He said it all in one breath, then pressed himself against the far side of the tree. A flash of white light was her only warning. Then Phantom was flying off towards the cafeteria.

Valerie was left gaping. Danny was Phantom, she knew that mentally, but seeing him change - that was something else. Did he always do that with such little secrecy? No one in the courtyard had seemed to notice, but -

More screaming. Ghost attack, right. She’d have time to interrogate Danny about his powers later.

Assuming Paulina left him in one piece, that was.

#tali writes #dancing around the truth #danny phantom #valerie gray #why do i only update fics at like midnight when everyone is asleep #gray ghost

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kmp78 · 5 years

Note

precisely Miss Valery Kaufman 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

BAH! 😒

I understand, Papa.

I understand. 🤗

#marsnipulation

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whouhoutelephonedebenoithjbkbk · 2 years

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Je sais pas ça doit pas être compliqué de faire un vaccin

Si tu veux un test pcr bon à Bruxelles c chez la pharmacie du vert chasseur à côté de chez moi c 26 euros

Faut demander Valérie je crois c la blonde bah moi je connais Marie

C la meilleures pharmacie ils ont un comptoir de préparation faites maison d huile essentielles

Elle enfonce pas dans le nez Valerie je crois je sais plus moi elle a dit votre fille j ai même pas pu un peu enfoncer elle avait trop mal

Bah tu dis t as mal

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impulsetravels · 3 years

Text

playlist. 27 january 2021.

king most - jorja joint // sf + uk restless soul + shea soul - turn me out // uk kyoto jazz massive - nacer do sol (restless soul remix) // japan + uk bah samba + the fatback band - let the drums speak (phil asher's restless soul mix) // uk 4hero - ways of thought (restless soul remix) // uk mark de clive-lowe - el día perfecto (restless soul mix) // uk + new zealand + el lay phil asher - namby it ain't (i ain't sorry) // west ldn jamiroquai - supersonic (restless soul remix) // ldn nubian mindz - black science (restless soul loop time mix) // uk restless soul + valerie etienne - beautiful // ldn restless soul + rasiyah - time to fly // uk — empanadamn selections: chavinski - fantasy // breda samoooo - message from yo' mama // stockholm baauer - cha cha gaaas // philadelphia + bk san paulo - magic flowers // el lay vlien boy + daniela romo - toda la bum bum (cumbia funk mix) // france + méxico el fecho rd + el tratol + la psicopata - dembow // dr haraca kiko + malu trevejo - mala // dominican republic + cuba airon + el mayor clasico + rochy rd - burlao // dr el fother + nítido nintendo - yo si bailo // dr bad bunny + jhay cortez - dakiti (major lazer remix) // pr + el lay + philly + florida brytiago + kiko el crazy - algarete // pr + dr dj morphius + dj hazel mty + muzik junkies - bachata con guaracha // méxico hyalyte + bavr - u ain't shit // genk + antwerpen mhd + dj did + dj flex - dip dop (part 2) // france dj vielo - mauvais garçon afro // paris jul + le rat luciano - comme un voyou // marseille aya nakamura - doudou (tommy + sico vox bootleg) // bamako + amsterdam gambi - puff puff puff // fontenay-sous-bois b2binks - majorité (kof) // argenteuil kdd - le geste // toulouse » LISTEN «

#Playlists

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monikaestrella · 6 years

Photo

'They will know you by your Fruit' was a collaborative effort created by myself (Monika Estrella Negra) and Valerie Bah, in Montreal QC in 2017. We wanted to explore the effects of violence on Black women's bodies using horror as a discipline. Horror is my obsession, and I love to dissect the every day horrors I face on a daily basis. Not too long ago, I had an abortion. I had tried to call the father before I went in to the abortion, and he did not answer. That was the loneliest I have ever felt. I don't think he did it on purpose - but when I brought it up, during a 'closure' conversation - he told me I that I was laying the guilty heavy. How many times have black women - or women in general, been silenced because of someone's inability to hear the truth? My truths? Our truths? I'd like to think that many Black women that have had to go through similar situations, often feel the same. I did this photo series shortly after that hellish and alienating experience. This photo series in particular doesn't just focus on my personal experience with anti-blackness, misogynoir and fertility. But on a collected series of transgenerational traumas shared by women and femmes in the Black diaspora. We do the daily work of harming ourselves in order to make others feel safe. We swallow the bitter pills in hopes of keeping the peace, or waiting for the storms to pass over us. There is a quote by Audre Lorde, that fits perfectly with this. 'I was going to die, sooner or later, whether or not I had even spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silences will not protect you....What are the words you do not yet have? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? We have been socialized to respect fear more than our own need for language.'

#audresrevengefilm vengeanceanthology blackwomeninhorror milwaukee #blackwomeninfilm #blackwomeninhorror #audrelorde #horror #gore #sfx #horror2017 #blackwomeninpain #diy #photography

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french-and-kiwi · 7 years

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Wwoofing à Little River

Nous avions très envie de passer du bon temps en découvrant la Banks Peninsula et nous avons eu la chance d’y trouver un wwoofing ! Un Super Wwoofing !

Encore une superbe et mémorable rencontre ! Avec la sensation d’être chez nous, de partager le quotidien de personnes qu’on a l’impression de connaître depuis toujours tellement les échanges sont faciles et évidents ... et avec l’impression que les au-revoirs vont être un peu plus difficiles que d’habitude ...

(Voici Valerie, Issa et Valéria the Dinosaur, photo prise lors de notre dernière soirée ensemble !)

Bon, parlons un peu de cette petite et charmante péninsule qui regorge de baies plus apaisantes les unes que les autres, de routes incroyables et splendides !

Nous voici à Duvauchelle avec sa mini péninsule que l’on ne peut pratiquer qu’à marrée basse ! Allez mon capitaine c’est droit devant !

Je ne sais pas si vous l’apercevez, mais sur la photo ci-dessous, un superbe dragon est en train de roupiller... Non ? oh !

Et maintenant, voilà la mini péninsule de Duvauchelle, mais de loin :

Comme c’était bon cette aprèm détente sur la baie de Little Akaloa ...

... se balader et jouer comme des enfants à Pigeon Bay ...

(Et ça s’en vaaaa ... et ça revient .... Spéciale dédicasse à ma Naïs !)

(Je me marre parce que vous voyez la petite sur la droite de la photo, bah elle attendait après la balançoire ... et bah j’ai rien lâché !! Hahaha ...!)

(Bon non, en fait, non ...)

...

Détente (encore !) à Birdling’s Flat avec un petit invité tout craquant <3

(Valentin et son copain <3)

(A cet instant même, ces deux là refont le monde ... 25 et 3 ans !)

(...?...)

Nous avons vraiment eu un petit coup de coeur pour cette plage quasi-déserte et sauvage !

Waitangi Day à Okains Bay, le 06/02/17 : jour de la fête nationale qui symbolise l’union des peuples maoris avec les colons anglais grâce au célèbre Traité de Waitangi. Et pour cette occasion, le village a mis à l’eau sa vieille pirogue maori en chantant :

Nous avons également fait un bon dans le temps avec leurs vieilleries en démonstration :

(Elle est loin l’époque de l’imprimante bluetooth ein !)

(Bon Mike, ce déguisement tu l’avais déjà porté à mon anniversaire ! Va te changer. Hihihi non sérieux, on ne dirait pas Mike ?!)

On a vraiment adoré cet ambiance de village, on se serait cru dans une fête foraine avec les Ingalls à Walnut Grove !

Petit Hangi en guise de pique-nique évidemment :

(Ils sont en train de déterrer la nourriture ... vous vous rappelez du hangi ? Repas traditionnel des maoris, ou plutôt mode de cuisson grâce à la vapeur qui s’échappe de la terre ... C’est chelou ce que je dis ein ?! C’est normal !)

Bon allez, cette fois, on roule vers Akaroa, connu comme étant le village français ! Mais d’abord petit point de vue :

(Rolala, mais quel gamin !)

Mais je l’aime, encore plus dans un paysage aussi magnifique !

Bonne fête mon Valentin <3

Hum, sinon : Bienvenue à Akaroa, le village que les français ont colonisé pour y faire le commerce de la baleine en 1846 ! Donc certains kiwis seraient des descendants de colons français ... La classe les gars ! Bon mais à part quelques petites boutiques qui jouent sur la French Touch, il n’y a rien de particulier, si ce n’est que les noms des rues sont français et que c’est trop craquant de les entendre les prononcer. Le village n’en est pas moins super paisible, mignon et agréable !

So cute <3

Et maintenant, à nouveau, on dit au revoir et on retourne sur la route...

01/02/2017 - 16/02/2017

#LittleRiver

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elisaphoenix13 · 3 years

Text

Malibu Vacation

Waves crashing, salty sea air that sent a light breeze over him, his kids laughing and talking...and one of them gurgling nearby. It was a change in scenery they all desperately needed, as well as the warmer weather. Every once in a while a furry tail would brush against his leg since Athena laid next to him as he dozed on the cabana bed. Of course Tony had one on their private beach. They weren't much for sticking their toes in the sand but they did so every once in a while. More likely than not to indulge their children.

"Juice?"

Stephen opens his eyes and looks to the side to find Valerie standing next to his bed in her one piece light blue bathing suit and her feet covered in sand. She smiles and lightly pats Athena's head who yawns and wags her tail a little faster as Stephen sits up. Before the sorcerer could wonder why Valerie was disturbing him instead of Tony (besides the obvious), he looked over and found him busy with Lucy.

Diaper change.

Better Tony than him.

"What kind of juice darling?" Stephen asks as he gets up and walks over to the ice chest.

"Apple."

The sorcerer digs through the ice chest as quickly as possible to fish out the box of apple juice and then closes it. The less time his hands were in ice, the better. Fortunately they didn't flare up in pain from the cold exposure and he was even able to stick the straw in the box for Valerie before giving it to her. She thanks him softly as she sits on the steps and Stephen stands next to her to look out at the other kids. Thomas and William were helping Diana build a sandcastle, and Harley and Peter were in the middle of a splash war with Cassie. She asked if she could join them when they went to Malibu and of course he and Tony said yes. Cassie even made the joke that it would give her parents time to get some of their...horniness out of their systems.

Tony laughed and told her that was impossible.

"Think it's about time to head back to the house?" Tony asks as he stands next to Stephen and wraps his free arm around his waist.

"Probably best. Peter and Thomas will be complaining that they're hungry soon." Stephen nods and closes his eyes when his husband kisses his temple. "I think I'll order pizza. It's a little too hot to cook and I'm feeling lazy."

Tony laughs. "As you wish, Duchess." He gently takes Lucy's hand when it reaches for his sunglasses. "No Lulu. I still have to order more. I have no idea what you do with them once you get a hold of them."

"Maybe she eats them." Stephen laughs and looks back at the other kids. "Time to call it a day!" He calls out.

"Up." Valerie says and holds her arms up to Stephen and he picks her up.

The rest of the kids grab their things and follow Tony and Stephen back to the mansion. The moment they get inside, Stephen carries Valerie up the stairs while Tony puts Lucy in her swing. The kids were told to shower to try and get as much sand off as possible, and Stephen got Valerie in the bath. It didn't take too long, but they still had to take turns, and by the time they were all going back downstairs, the pizza had arrived.

"Ugh. I think I still have some sand on my--"

"Harley!" William interrupts with a blush.

"You could have helped you know." Harley waggles his eyebrows and William pushes his face away.

"You're going to ruin everyone's appetites. No one wants to hear about that." Peter makes a face of disgust before shoving a slice of pizza into his mouth.

"At least leave that talk for when there aren't small ears around and your parents can't hear you." Stephen says and puts their drinks on the table.

"Don't worry honey, we'll be getting our own later." Tony winks and Cassie makes a face.

"You know I was trying to get away from that." She groans. "You know I have to cover my eyes every time I open a door?"

Tony cackles. "The laundry room too?"

"Especially the laundry room! I'm going to start banning certain activities in certain rooms!"

"What? You mean you haven't yet?" Stephen asks with a snort.

"I love my dads. Unfortunately the only time they don't act like adults is when they have 'fun'." Cassie then shrugs. "I don't really mind all that much to be honest. They deserve to destress however they can with all they do."

"So do we." Tony says.

They all nod in agreement and finish their dinner, and Harley and Thomas do the dishes while Peter and William clean up the table. Cassie takes Diana to the living room after grabbing some things from the newly minted craft room which used to be Tony's rarely used office, and Stephen walks over to the piano once Valerie's hands are wiped clean. He hardly had time to play with how busy he always was, but he tried to use the piano back in New York to help improve movement in his fingers. It was sometimes a little painful to play, but he missed it so much that he powered through any pain he may have.

Today was not one of those days. His pain was always there but it was minimal when he sat on the bench and opened the fallboard. Stephen was able to play with no problem and he enjoyed the music that filled the air. He did look over in surprise when Valerie crawled up on the bench next to him and watched intently as he played. She even gave in to her curiosity and reached out to play a few notes herself and Stephen chuckles.

"Do you want to play too?" He asks and she nods.

Stephen showed her as much as he could in a way that a two year old would understand and eventually they stopped playing and Valerie looked behind them at the indoor pond. It was a lot like the indoor waterfall Tony had in the previous floorplan years ago but he made some adjustments so they could have a koi pond at the bottom of the waterfall. Valerie loved feeding the fish whenever they came to Malibu, and of course Tony thought of the children's safety so there was a feature that Friday activated in case a baby got too close without supervision. He also built an automatic feeder for when they weren't there and someone only had to come every once in a while to refill it.

"Go find Daddy and see where he put the food." Stephen smiles as Valerie climbs down from the bench and runs off to find Tony.

While he waits, Stephen closes the fallboard and gets up to stand next to the pond where Athena joins him. She sits next to him and watches the fish with him and rumbles happily when he pets her head.

"Are you done nannying the cubs?" He jokes and she wuffs in response. "Did you clean Lucy's ears?" Another wuff. "That's not sanitary you know."

"Mama!" Valerie runs back over to him with a bag of fish food. "Fish eat?"

"Yes. Just like I showed you."

He sits on the edge of the pond and she hands him the bag of food so she can take out a handful while he holds it. Valerie turns to face the pond and tosses the handful of food into it and she giggles when the koi swim around frantically to eat it. Stephen decided she was ready to try something new and carefully poured some more food into her hand.

"Don't throw this. Here." He gently leads her hand toward the water and smiles when she whines nervously. "It's okay. They won't hurt you."

Once the fish realize that Valerie is holding the food, they all gather around her hand and eat straight out of it.

"Tickles!" She giggles again.

When the fish finish and start swimming away, Stephen closes the bag and hands it to Valerie after having her dry her hands. "Go take that back to Daddy so we can feed them tomorrow."

"Kay. 'Thena! Come!" She walks away and Athena follows dutifully much to Stephen's amusement.

"Don't worry Duchess. She'll be back to warm your feet tonight like always." Tony chuckles as he takes the bag of fish food from Valerie when she holds it up.

"I'm not worried." Stephen rolls his eyes and gets up to join Tony at the couch when he sits after putting the bag away and watches Cassie and Diana with their crafts.

More like hobbies. Diana was painting on a small canvas and Cassie was embroidering. Stephen didn't know why Diana wasn't painting in the craft room but he figured since they had put some plastic on the floor as a precaution, he wasn't going to say anything.

"You're improving." Tony compliments and throws an arm around Stephen's shoulders. "I remember when you stumbled. Now it's like your hands don't tremble."

Stephen smiles. "I think part of that has to do with the fact that I'm having a good day."

"I've heard you play on a not so good day. You're still playing great."

"It's true." Peter says as he sits on Tony's other side eating an apple.

"Are you eating again?!" Cassie asks.

"It's just an apple. Pre-dessert." Peter grins.

"He eats like a hobbit." Thomas laughs.

"So do you." William says and Thomas sticks his tongue out.

"This family alone eats like a small army." Stephen huffs.

"This family is a small army Mom." Harley points out.

He had a point.

"Maybe you boys should take a page out of the girls book and try crafting something." Tony says.

"Hey, I have my Legos." Peter says. "Speaking of, I have a new model to build." He tosses his apple core in the trash on his way to the stairs.

Harley and the twins shrug and walk into the craft room to find something to do and Stephen looks over at Lucy when she starts babbling and playing with her plastic keys. They were her favorite toy since she liked swinging things around that made noise. She even liked her little activity chair with the toys built in. If she wasn't "helping" Tony in the lab, she was in the chair. Now she was in the swing. It was a way to help her wind down and get ready for bed later.

"Telling a story there Lulu?" Tony asks and the baby looks up at him as she drools on the keys she put in her mouth.

"Bah!" She responds loudly and tosses her keys with surprising force.

They land with a splat in Diana's paint, sending splotches of it everywhere and making Tony laugh. Both Cassie and Diana were covered in reds, yellows, and greens and they sat in surprise until Diana finally sighed heavily and used her magic to clean up the mess.

"I think we found our pitcher." Tony laughs.

"Here Daddy." Diana holds out the plastic keys and he takes them as he gets up. "It's a good thing I can rewind time."

"Yeah, well, you know you have to be careful with that--" he replies but Diana sighs dramatically.

"I know. Mommy and Uncle Wong tell me all the time!"

"We do." Stephen confirms as Tony walks over and retrieves Lucy from her swing.

"We still need one more kid to make a baseball team." Cassie says as she works on her embroidery. "Unless the Barton's come over."

Tony smirks. "Just give Mom a little longer. He's already jealous that Lucy likes me more. His baby fever will kick in soon enough."

"Yeah, probably." Cassie shrugs and Stephen gapes.

"Don't agree with him! You're grounded!"

"From what exactly?"

Stephen stares at her for a few seconds and finally gets up.

"I'm getting my sling ring. I'm sending you back home to your parents."

Cassie's eyes widened. "Oh my god! Please, no! Last time I went home unannounced, I saw more of Papa than I wanted to!"

"Now you know how I feel!" Peter yells from upstairs and Tony bursts into laughter.

"I completely forgot about that."

#ironstrange #stephen strange #supremefamily #tony stark #mama bear stephen strange #mama bear au

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